Tall, Tan, Young and Lovely.
by AidanMoon
Summary: The latest in the, er.... what is this story anyway? bah, it's just got a new chapter up! Read it and review it! Yaoi is in here, watch it if ya' dun like it! JUST SKIP OVER THE DAMN PARAGRAPH! :P
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!!  
  
Tall and tan, young and lovely. Those were the words that came to mind when the new exchange student came to Hogwarts, and he was all of those things. With his amber hair and gray-green eyes, he stood out even in his school uniform. Uniforms didn't suit him; he looked much better in the traveling clothes he had arrived in. A tough vest that flared out just below the waist, accentuating his curvy form. With its rainbow of blues, violets, and greens he had looked quite the foreigner he was. Even still in his uniform, he looked quite different from most. Typically the guys kept their hair relatively short, his hair, on the other more flamboyant hand, went down to his mid-thighs when let down completely, but for during most of the time the wonderfully full and wavy hair was kept up in elaborate fashions. Fashions that were deceptively complicated looking. As for today, his hair was let down completely but with ivy green beads strung along to reproduce the look of a real ivy vine, which seemed to be growing from his head. Even the teachers gave him odd looks when they thought no one was looking, and sometimes even when they knew otherwise.  
  
As for classes, he had everything everyone else did except for one class after dinner that he had with the headmaster himself, Albus Dumbledore. No one knew what the class was except that Dumbledore wasn't doing the teaching.  
  
  
  
Harry was late for lunch because Professor Snape hadn't let him out till he had fixed his potion for acne. He rushes to the Gryffindor table and plopped down next to Ron.  
  
"Hi." He said breathlessly as he reached for a sandwich and some milk.  
  
Ron was mute; he was just goggling at the student across from them. Harry waved his hand in front of Ron's face until he finally got Ron to blink and look away from the student who had completely oblivious to Ron's staring, mostly because he was concentrating on his book. Harry skimmed the title, "Dance Magic" Then he turned back to Ron.  
  
"Snape made me stay after class to fix my potion for acne, would you believe it just needed some salt?" Ron sat there dumbly not hearing a word and his eyes once again strayed to the student across from them. After another 5 minutes of hand waving Harry decided to find out exactly who could be doing this to his friend.  
  
"Er, excuse me, my name is Harry, who are you?" he greeted awkwardly to the unknown student behind the book. With a slow, but not painstakingly so, grace the boy raised his eyes to meet Harry's, Harry's jaw went slack.  
  
"I am Aidan, hello." He replied quietly, though somehow his voice carried over all the noise. Harry's thoughts slammed into him, like a boulder running down everything in its path down a hill.  
  
Isn't he the...no it can't be. Harry's thoughts tumbled one over another, like rocks rolling through a stream being carried by a swift current.  
  
He also didn't seem to notice Aidan's lack of awe.  
  
Aidan, however, didn't seem to notice Harry's expression except he took on a far more clinical tone.  
  
"Yes, I do in fact prefer guys. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm reading."  
  
To that Harry could say nothing, and he finished his lunch in a daze, reminding Ron to eat so he wouldn't starve and finishing his own lunch as well. The entire day passed like that, his mind was on auto-piolit, and strangely enough without conscious though hindering his memory he did much better in his classes than he normally did.  
  
Why hadn't he noticed him before he wondered did he sleep somewhere else besides the boy's dorm? Where were his things? Where was he from? Harry's questions found no answers that day, nor the next, nor for a long time after Harry's first encounter with Aidan, which was followed by another, which came about a month later. This time when Harry and Ron were sneaking to the library to do some late night studying for a quiz the next day. Once they were dead tired from studying under the invisibility cloak they headed back to the common room, where once again they found Aidan reading a book, this one titled "Muggle Folktales."  
  
"Hello Ron, hello Harry." Greeted Aidan without glancing up when they dropped the invisibility cloak in surprise. Aidan was wearing a plain jungle green robe over a very short pair of blue shorts with a matching blue T-shirt, his hair was let down and with his back to the banked fire it glowed around his head like an amber halo. The robe was open, thus exposing his legs. They were shapely, curvy like the rest of him, but still muscled and toned like no other part of him.  
  
Harry found it hard to believe someone's legs could still have so little hair at 15, but then again Aidan was stranger than most people were.  
  
"Aidan, what're you doing awake?" Asked Ron.  
  
"Reading." He replied smoothly.  
  
"Aren't you tired?" queried Harry.  
  
"No, not really. But I think I'll go to bed anyway. I might not feel it now, but I will in the morning."  
  
Aidan headed for the stairs to the boys dorm, but before he got there, Harry had strode over and grasped his shoulder gently.  
  
"Wait."  
  
Aidan turned silently, so silent it was unnerving. It's now or never, thought Harry.  
  
"I've got some questions."  
  
Aidan arched a small, curvy, eyebrow and followed Harry over to two overstuffed chairs next to the fireplace; Ron and Harry sat down in one and Aidan in the other.  
  
"Why haven't I noticed you before?" questioned Harry.  
  
"I have a, ah knack, for not being very noticeable.  
  
"Even with your looks?" asked Harry incredulously.  
  
At this Aidan's cheeks turned a tiny shade pink, not noticeable in this dim light, unless in real light it would've been a much deeper looking blush.  
  
"Well…it's easy to get lost in a sea of students like here at Hogwarts, even with such, uh, unique appearances as mine." Not completely satisfied, Harry moved on to more personal questions.  
  
"Are you uh, what I mean is, have you ever. That is to say are you a, uh..." Harry couldn't say it.  
  
"Am I a virgin?" Apparently Aidan could.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I am."  
  
Blushing severely, Ron asked the next question, as Harry was too embarrassed to continue.  
  
"Why do you, uh, like guys?"  
  
"Because, I was born that way. I can tell you, that no one would choose to be like me given the choice. There's too much discrimination, and hate and prejudice against people like me." Aidan was being quite frank about this and it made Harry and Ron feel a little less shy about their questions. They were up late into the night, after an hour or so Aidan started to question them as well. Ron and Harry decided, wordlessly, that they thought him friendly enough and decided to hang out with him. Finally around 4 in the morning they decided that they'd fall asleep right there, or in class so they decided to at least get their sleep in comfortable beds.  
  
  
  
The next week passed uneventfully except for instead of being a no one, Aidan was now known through out all of Hogwarts. Rumors flew with truth, as only rumors and truth can in such a place as school, except for a few "secret" glares from the likes as Crabbe and Goyle, nothing major happened.  
  
Nothing major happened, until next week when Crabbe and Goyle stepped in front of Aidan while he was walking to his next class with Ron.  
  
"Hey, look Goyle. It's the pervert." Taunted Crabbe.  
  
Aidan didn't flinch, or twitch a single muscle. The only thing revealing slightly how much trouble Crabbe had just gotten himself and Goyle in was the mischievous shine to Aidan's gray-green eyes.  
  
Goyle laughed.  
  
"Yeah pervert, did you do anything to any of the first years last night?" teased Goyle.  
  
They both pulled out their wands.  
  
"Maybe we should teach the pervert a lesson, eh?" suggested Goyle.  
  
Before either them could make a move Aidan gracefully handed his books to Ron who took them, along with Aidan's wand.  
  
Aidan started to move, but in a suggestive manner that was far more than just a walk. Crabbe and Goyle's eyes went wide, Aidan was walking, and with a seductive manner they had never encountered, but recognized it for what it was.  
  
"Oh surely," started Aidan in a husky whisper, that still carried. "Two strong men like you don't need wands to punish me. Oh and how I want you to punish me." Aidan stepped closer to them both. They took two steps back.  
  
"Are you running away from me?" Aidan pouted. "Oh but I was going to show you such things you could only imagine." He winked.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle screamed in unions and fled down the hall.  
  
Everyone was silent and stared at Aidan. He resumed his usual walk and manner, took his books from Ron and simply said.  
  
"Guess they aren't my type."  
  
Even Malfoy's laughter could be heard following Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
Aidan walked to class most satisfied.  
  
  
  
"Now, One, Two, Three, Four, yes. Yes! Very good" Encouraged Aidan, this was his only class with Dumbledore.  
  
"Wonderful! You're getting much better." Aidan gave him a proud smile.  
  
"Thank you Aidan, dance has always interested me." Came Dumbledore's response.  
  
An abrupt knock on the door interrupted their conversation; Dumbledore opened it for the visitor.  
  
It was professor Snape carrying a bruised and beaten boy.  
  
"Snape, why didn't you take him to the hospital wing? He's obviously very injured." Reprimanded the headmaster.  
  
"Because he wouldn't be safe there from those who caused this, and believe me they intended much more than just this." Replied Snape flatly.  
  
A look of fear mixed with rage and other emotions filled Snape's eyes, Aidan's eyes mirrored the same storm; but with cold planning stirred in.  
  
"What's his name?" Inquired Aidan, coolly.  
  
"Neville, Neville Longbottom," Was Dumbledore's quick response. "I remember him, got put in a paralysis spell by Hermione Granger one night."  
  
Aidan produced a jar of bruise salve from his book bag, next to the headmaster's desk. He then directed Snape to lie him down on the couch, against the wall opposite the desk's left side. Then, after opening the jar and pulling off Neville's robe and shirt, and magicking up a sheet so the salve wouldn't stain the couch, Aidan began to gently massage the salve into Neville's unconscious form with the air of someone who'd done this to himself far too many times. Though Aidan's air was professional, some of his thoughts were not.  
  
I wonder if anyone has noticed he's not the little boy he was when he got here.  
  
It was true; Neville's entire upper body had developed more. His arms while they weren't bulging with muscle, they were strong. And his chest and abs weren't chiseled, but they were smoothed and slightly defined to the point where it was attractive, Aidan also, sheepishly, noted the faint trail leading from Neville's bellybutton down into his trousers.  
  
All the while Snape had been watching, making mental notes about Aidan.  
  
Not the boy slut I expected, I think I'm gonna like this boy.  
  
By this time Aidan had covered Neville's entire top body with the salve. He reached for the bottom of a pant leg and rolled it up to see how badly bruised it was.  
  
Not much bruising, a little salve here and there will take care of the worst.  
  
He also noted Neville's muscular legs.  
  
No, he's not the little boy Harry told me about at all.  
  
Aidan brushed some of Neville's hair out of his face and noticed that his face was relatively untouched.  
  
Aidan stood up; both headmaster and teacher noticed his rather "motherly" air about him.  
  
"I'd like to stay here with him through the night." Though it was formed as a request, it was clear Aidan would do it weather they liked it or not. They both sighed. Snape replied first to Dumbledore.  
  
"I think Aidan would be very responsible, and he does seem like the best person who should be here if Neville should awake."  
  
"Yes, I agree," Replied Dumbledore thoughtfully he added a small mattress, sleeping bag, and pillow next to his desk. "You are excused from all off your classes for the next two days. If Neville does not wake up by then we are moving him to the hospital wing, and we'll make it safe."  
  
"Thank you." Then came an unexpected hug for each of them.  
  
Snape and Dumbledore left Aidan and Neville in the headmaster's office, and headed for the Great Hall, this wasn't going to go unpunished. 


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!!  
  
Arrayed before Albus and Snape were all the students and teachers and ghosts of Hogwarts, the teachers had their wands out and were spaced evenly along each long side of the Great Hall, the ghosts kept watch from overhead and listened to any whispered comments. This was an official student lockdown. No one was going to escape. All of the students were mildly bedraggled seeing as they'd just come from their dorms after only an hour of sleep. Though for all of their lack of sleep, whispers were flying around. Everyone had head of what had happened to Neville, and why. The Gryffindor table looked like an unruly mob barely kept in check by the teachers and their wands.  
  
"It seems," rang Dumbledore's voice out over the Great Hall, silence. "that some students here lack tolerance for those of us who do not fit what they deem right or normal. Those students should know, they face expulsion, no exceptions, no excuses."  
  
Fear coiled around a clump of boys at the Slytherin table like their own serpent around it's prey, Crabbe and Goyle were getting looks of worry from the rest. Malfoy looked at them oddly from the other end of the table.  
  
"It would also appear that most of you do not understand these student's actions, I am glad of this," He looked directly over at the small clump of boys at Slytherin. If looks could kill, they'd be minced meat. All of Hogwarts was giving them a look identical to Dumbledore's. Neville was a good guy, and they saw no reason why who he was attracted to was any of their business. "but of those of you who have your so- called reasons for your actions. Come here."  
  
The boys didn't move.  
  
Their mistake.  
  
After 3 seconds, animals from nightmares only from the deepest darkest places burst out of ever teacher's wands in the entire great hall. All of them converged on the boys. Birds with blood dripping from their beaks and the most savage insane look in their eyes, the blood never reached the ground, it evaporated to nothing, Dogs howling ethereal sounds that were more cries of rage than howls nipped at their heels.  
  
The boys screamed in terror and ran for Dumbledore, with nightmares herding them all the way.  
  
  
  
  
  
Aidan reeled in Dumbledore's office. Drowning in the passionous hate that washed over him from the Great Hall, he instantly sprang up his shields. He hadn't grown up learning a different kind of magic for nothing. Then, he surrounded the energy with a web of his own, soaking it through into him, weaving a nightmare beyond nightmares…  
  
  
  
Hate grew more concentrated with every second, the tension in the Great Hall was growing so that even the enchanted ceiling seemed to change, it flashed lightening and storms overhead.  
  
  
  
Shaking, sweating, and almost exhausted, Aidan gathered the energy into the second before final manifestation…  
  
  
  
In the Great Hall, the nightmares fanished and the boys promptly fell unconscious from mental shock where they were but nor for long…  
  
  
  
Aidan could feel it building until, the still point. Aidan blasted the energy through it, into final creation..  
  
  
  
An unearthly wail started as a whisper and grew to monumental volume in the matter of a few seconds, the boys had been revived against every wish they had and they suffered. With the wail came rain, real pelting rain, but it was hot, not cold, hot. Like tears. It only fell on the monstrous boys, Crabbe and Goyle had huddle together under the High Table and were sobbing, the rest either stared wide eyes up into the rising storm in the ceiling or sobbed.  
  
  
  
Dumbledore stood at the High Table calmly observing this apparent sobbing fit from out of no where.  
  
  
  
Aidan was on the floor next to the desk sobbing, sobbing for every time he'd been beaten, for every time he'd been hated, he sobbed for Neville, he sobbed for every person who would have to go through what Neville almost did, and what he had. He was still quite aware that this was all being channeled to the Great Hall and that the boys were quite shocked, but he could read their limitations. He had yet to go over them, they'd be fine after it was over and they felt safe again. He moaned…  
  
  
  
The wail in the Great Hall started to moan, and lessen…  
  
  
  
Aidan sensed the hate he'd used to fuel the frightening nightmare fading fast, he let it. He would just let it fade and leave them in silence.  
  
  
  
Dumbledore raised a hand to get everyone's attention, but he already had them as a captive audience.  
  
"I don't think. That anyone would disagree that justice has been served."  
  
Only the boys whimpering and huddled in the farthest corner of the High Table's platform was heard.  
  
"You'll find your things by the front gate, owls have been sent, leave. You are officially expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
Someone cheered as they left.  
  
Everyone looked.  
  
It was Malfoy.  
  
"What? Can't a guy cheer when two bigots leave? I may be mean, but I'm not a bigot!"  
  
Everyone laughed  
  
The Gryffindor table started cheering as well, and soon the whole of Hogwarts was cheering and clapping.  
  
  
  
Neville tried to open his eyes, he was still really weak and tired.  
  
Ohh, getting the shit beat out of you hurts.  
  
He heard soft sobs and a low moan. Neville looked around and saw a boy lying on the floor next to Dumbledore's desk.  
  
Dumbledore's desk?? I must be in the office…oh I hurt so bad…  
  
He tried to move but as soon as he tried he gave out a gasp of pain.  
  
Aidan heard a gasp from behind.  
  
Oh shit, bet I look like a corpse warmed over from the way I've been crying.  
  
He turned to face Neville. It was his turn to gasp.  
  
They both sat there staring, for how long neither knew. All they knew was that the other was extremely attractive.  
  
Aidan was the first to recover.  
  
"I'm, uh, I'm…" or maybe not.  
  
Neville stared at this blood-shot gray-green red rimmed eyes, and the tangled and tear soaked hair, and the stains from this boys sobbing.  
  
He's really hot.  
  
Neville could see that, even under this strange boy's current look. He suddenly realized this was the first attractive guy he had wanted that his loins hadn't quivered at.  
  
Maybe there's something more to what I'm feeling….  
  
Aidan stared at his shirtless patient. His salve had worked it's near miraculous healing on his bruises and they had fast faded to almost nothing, faint yellow spots where he had been pure black and blue only a few hours ago.  
  
I've never felt like this, this is more than just wanting him in my bed, though that's a part of it.  
  
Aidan stood up brushed off his uniform, which by now was a mess  
  
"I'm Aidan." He said, his voice betraying a slight tremble which was obvious all through his body in the form of his shivering despite the warmth in the room.  
  
"Hi, I'm Neville. Are you the one taking care of me?"  
  
"Yes." Was Aidan's still trembling reply.  
  
"Uh, well. Thanks. Why are you taking care of me instead of being in the hospital wing?" More sure of himself on this topic, Aidan replied.  
  
"Because, Snape didn't think it would be safe there for you. Considering what those boys were trying to do." Aidan mentally berated himself for the last comment.  
  
"I see," Neville seemed thoughtful for a moment. "Are you. Uh, like me?"  
  
Relief washed over Aidan for some strange unknown reason.  
  
"Yes. I am." He smiled warmly, with the dried tears on his cheeks they felt stiff, but he still smiled because somehow he couldn't help it. Neville smiled back.  
  
Then Aidan and Neville both remember that Neville wasn't wearing a shirt, just his trousers. They both flushed, Aidan a deep crimson and Neville a light pink.  
  
Neville just threw his robes on, and left them open so his chest and abs were still at least still a little bit visible .  
  
A knock on the door, followed by Snape interrupted them. He had a grin on his face, and he looked very nice with it. Much better than his usual surly scowl.  
  
"They're gone Neville, they've been expelled."  
  
Neville's face showed joy and Aidan felt a surge of happiness for him and the urge to hug him was almost too much to hold off.  
  
Neville instead hugged him.  
  
Rainbows danced around them, the floor dropped out from underneath and they floated, the stars started to supernova for a spectacular fireworks display.  
  
Neville reveled in Aidan's smell and touch, his senses reached their peak when they kissed as soon as Snape left. Neville had kissed guys before, but not like this. This was different, this was special.  
  
This. He tought. Is love.  
  
Aidan thought his head would explode when Neville kissed him, it didn't. He just found himself clinging to Neville. Needing to be loved, needing to love. He knew Neville felt the same from the way he was returning his kisses.  
  
I can't believe it, I'm in love and we've only just talked!  
  
They both heard cheering from down the long staircase, Neville paused in his return of one of Aidan's many heated kisses.  
  
"I think, they're having a party." He said impishly. Aidan's eyes lit up, blood shot no more.  
  
"Yes! Now I can dress in my normal clothes!" he said.  
  
"I'd love to see you in them." Whispered Neville. His dark brown bangs mixing with Aidan's.  
  
They kissed again and left the office holding each other's hands and smiling insanely happy.  
  
  
  
Author's Talk: Whathca think people?? Tell me in a review!! Advice welcom, as is constructive criticism! 


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!! And thanks to all who've started reviewing, I look forward to your reviews as much as you look forward to my next chapter!!  
  
Neville and Aidan had snuck off during impromptu party for just having a good time, even Malfoy who had previously been a total git was being nicer. Some said they'd seen he and Hermione slow dancing down in the Slytherin dungeons, Hermione stomped on their toes when they mentioned it to her. Malfoy just flushed a bright crimson which was at odds with his usual lack of that much color, and his haughty air of denial.  
  
Aidan and Neville knew that they felt something, but they wanted to know if it was love or lust, they'd snuck off to talk. Though it felt like love, they'd heard of the break up of Percy Weasly and his old girlfriend from Ron. It wasn't an appealing idea, so they decided to stop a problem before it might even start.  
  
"So, where did you grow up exactly?" was Neville's question while they walked by the lake wearing their cloaks against the night's chill. Winter was ending, but it was still cold.  
  
"Lots of places, I was born in America but my mom traveled a lot. My dad was killed by some You-Know-Who fanatic over in the States." An abrupt silence followed this and Neville wasn't sure what to say so he just moved onto something else.  
  
"I live with my grandmother, she's not the nicest woman but she can be ok, sometimes."  
  
"My mom is the only family I have that I know of."  
  
After that they just walked for a while, Neville waved to the giant squid who raised an arm and waved back slightly. With the Forbidden Forest on one side and the lake on the other the path seemed slightly private. Soon their conversation started again, Aidan enjoyed it immensely. He hadn't been able to have this kind of discussion with anyone before. Not even his own mother, their conversation wandered from music, to science. By the time that they had nearly minced each other in a debate over the ethics of using a truth potion, Aidan realized they'd walked around the lake nearly three times and that it was incredibly late. He couldn't even see the lights from the party anymore.  
  
"Neville, do you realize how late it probably is?"  
  
"Uh-oh, they lock the doors at 10. We went out just before that. Do you think we could spend the night out here in our cloaks?" Anxious Neville stared at the front doors. Thoughtful for a moment Aidan thought up a plan quickly.  
  
"Well, we could go huddle together next to the clump of bushes next to the stairs. That way they'll find us easier in the morning." Neville certainly didn't mind being that close to Aidan and neither did Aidan. So they sat down huddled next to the bushes with their cloaks wrapped around and under them. With Aidan's amber hair spilling over Neville's shoulders, and Neville and Aidan holding onto each other for warmth, as much as for anything else, they slept.  
  
Someone tapped him lightly on the end with what was either a very hard finger or a wand tip. Aidan mumbled something about just a few more hours of sleep. This time a voice came with it a more persistent tap.  
  
"If you two don't get up the whole of Hogwarts will think neither of you are a virgin anymore, and as much as this is a picture perfect moment, you'd better get back in before anyone else finds you." Came the feminine voice of Hermione Granger.  
  
Blinking the sleep from his eyes Neville woke, Aidan yawned in a most ungraceful yawn and stretched. Hermione was dressed in a pair of gray sweat pants and a matching sweat shirt and headband.  
  
"If I didn't jog every morning before classes, you two would've been found here and that would've been at least 30 point from our House-" before she could continue Neville interrupted with.  
  
"Put a cork in it. No one wants to hear that much talk when they've just woken up and are cramped." Hermione's jaw worked for a minute or so and then she stomped off to start her jog around the lake. Aidan and Neville helped each up, then they stretched and headed inside, because Hermione was right. Points would be taken away because they'd been outside all night.  
  
Over the course of the next week Aidan and Neville got to know each other better, even the teachers noticed how "close" they were getting. Aidan was increasingly sure that he truly cared for Neville a lot, he wasn't ready to say love yet. He knew it was too soon, Neville felt the same way. They talked every chance they got and they never got tired of each other. Sometimes they'd have a disagreement but they could usually reach a compromise alone, an if not then they always could with the help of Ron. Ron seemed to have an unusual amount of common sense for someone his age, Harry said it was all the chess he played. Weeks flew past quickly and no one wished to slow them, spring was coming and that meant warm weather and that meant Quidditch.  
  
"I love Quidditch." Said Aidan excitedly.  
  
"I know, me too. It's so much more exciting than any of the Muggle sports that I can think of." Replied Neville just as excitedly. They were walking hand-in-hand to the Quidditch field. It was almost 2 months since that night when they'd first embraced. They hadn't done anything more than kiss and embrace and the occasional nude caress on weekends in a clearing hidden from view by a stand of trees that everyone thought were part of the Forbidden Forest, though they both wanted to, they also both knew that neither of them were ready. As they climbed to the top where Ron was holding seats for them they were greeted by many friends they'd both made over the past two months.  
  
"Hi Ron!" cried Aidan over the chatter of everyone in the giant stands around the field.  
  
"Hey Aidan! Hey Neville! Come over here, Hermione should be coming soon. She said she had a surprise for us all, but knowing her it'll probably be a lesson on some new spell she's mastered a grade earlier than expected." Came Ron's greeting as they sat down. The teams filed out onto the field, everyone cheered and waved for the team they wanted to win. Aidan, Ron, and Neville hollered "Go Harry!" when Madame Hooch blew her whistle and they took off. It wasn't long before they were all engrossed in the game. Harry was circling above the field in his usual maneuver he was a hand-sized blotch in the sky from where they sat. Then suddenly just when the Slytherin had scored another goal and were tied with Gryffindor he dived from the sky, weaving in and out of the players as they all stopped and stared at him as he dove. He skimmed above the grass, then like a rocket he shot straight up on his broom, and raised his hand in triumph. Everyone was shouting cheers or boos. No one noticed the Slytherin beaters who had just slapped a bludger right after Harry, or that it was headed right for his head.  
  
Author's Comments: Ooooo, so whatcha think people? Did I take care of your little niggling worry about it being too soon? And lookie I've got a cliffhanger, I need 5 more reviews before I will write anymore. So review people! And sorry that this chapter is so short in comparison with the others!! 


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!!  
  
Everything was a blur, Aidan felt Ron go stiff. His head snapped up to where Harry was, he saw the bludger. With lightening speed no one expected of him he snapped out his wand and his hand and threw two spells at once. One threw the bludger off into the wild blue sky, the other forming a glowing net underneath Harry who had swung violently to try and escape and had fallen off his broom.  
  
He promptly collapsed into Neville's arms.  
  
Though Neville didn't look it, he was much stronger than he had been when he was a first year and he held Aidan carefully.  
  
"Aidan! Wake up!" cried Neville fearfully.  
  
Aidan's eyelashes fluttered, and then he slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"Is. Ok?" he could only speak in fragments.  
  
"Yes, he's ok, and now you're going to rest." Before Aidan could try to speak or argue Neville picked him up and only with a slight show of strain carried him off to the hospital wing.  
  
**********  
  
Aidan's eyes were still closed three hours after his collapse.  
  
"Why is this happening?" Neville queried aloud.  
  
"Because he used up all his energy on two very powerful spells that most children his age can't even attempt." Came an icy, this whisper that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Neville's head swung up and looked behind him.  
  
There was nothing.  
  
Aidan heard the voice and his guts turned to a solid lump of cold wet clay that sunk the very lowest of his abdomen. He shivered under his blankets.  
  
Oh no, please. Not again. He thought fearfully. The nightmare was starting all over again.  
  
Daddy was checking up on his little boy again.  
  
**************  
  
Aidan started to shiver and soon it progressed to convulsions, Neville tried holding him down but he was thrashing so hard he could barely hold him down, the nurse came running over, whipped out her wand and used a paralysis spell on Aidan. Just before he went stiff he had started to whimper and cry.  
  
What's wrong with you, love? What's thrown you into this fit? Neville couldn't help wondering. For now though, he had to be in his classes has if nothing had happened.  
  
As if nothing had happened.  
  
Yeah right, thought Neville sourly, I'm just supposed to pretend that the person I love is just fine when he's just practically in a coma and convulsing, sure I'll just pretend everything is normal. He couldn't help being sarcastic and cynical, it was how he got when he was upset.  
  
Aidan got that way too when he was upset.  
  
Neville's eyes misted slightly, he was more worried than he wanted to admit even to himself. But his teachers wouldn't have pity and he had to go to his classes or start to fail and possibly be expelled, and then he'd never seen Aidan again not even the next school year.  
  
Life must go on, and no matter how depressed he felt he still had to ride along with it.  
  
****************  
  
Running, Aidan was running. His legs didn't want to though, they were on fire and felt heavy as lead at the same time. Visions of a snake- faced man chasing floating afte rhim effortlessly permeated his sight. Smells of death, decay, and old pussy and infected wounds filled his scent. He couldn't feel anything, his body had long gone numb from the pain that the sharp craggy rocks he ran over had caused to his feet. Only the sounds of tortured screaming filled his ears, screaming from the dying, and almost dead.  
  
No, he can't be back. His mind raced, what had happened? How could he be back? He couldn't comprehend it, he thought that Harry had destroyed him.  
  
Obviously, he'd thought wrong, and now it could be fatal. He heard a voice calling to him from the specter of doom that he had an unbreakable tie too, one of blood, flesh, and bone.  
  
"Why do you run when you already know from the past that I'll catch you." Came the icy whisper, it made the question into a statement. A statement of impedeing doom. Go faster he urged his legs, and he did. From somewhere he pulled another well of energy and shot forward far ahead of the deathly specter with red eyes, slits for a nose, and a snake mouth and tongue to match. 


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!!  
  
  
  
A walking cliché walked up to Neville during his next class. He was, literally, tall, dark, and handsome.  
  
Scratch handsome, replace with sexy.  
  
He was tall, an inch or so more than most 5th years, slightly muscular. short spiked black hair the bangs the bangs, long and covered one red-wine eye.  
  
That was where the cliché ended.  
  
Tall, dark, and handsome were only general ideas. His skin was a dusky color that spoke of days spent outdoors. Muscles unfolded a story of work, but so much as to become disgusting and grotesque.  
  
"Hello." His voice was a strange thing, it wasn't sharp, but it wasn't musical. It was just, pleasant. A tad deeper than most perhaps, but all in all. Pleasant.  
  
"Hi." While Neville's voice came out in a choked whisper, partially from grief about Aidan and partially because of the strange feelings this stranger was already arousing in him.  
  
He was arousing a few other things too but Neville tried hard to not think about that, he felt guilty. His love was lying in a bed unconscious and being tormented by nightmares and here he was thinking about how he'd like to share his trousers with this guy he didn't even know.  
  
"I heard about your boyfriend, and I wanted you to know I'm, uh, here I guess. If you want a friend. By the way, my name is Damien."  
  
Being with Aidan had helped Neville develop a kind of sixth sense about other guys, and he quite clearly read this guy as 'one of us.'  
  
"Thanks," He choked out. "I appreciate it." He quickly turned back to the lesson at hand before the teacher noticed their whispered conversation. Damien just smiled kindly and turned back to the lesson as well. Neville paid the utmost attention in his classes for the rest of the day, so as to distract him from his jumbled up knot of confusion that Damien had stirred up inside. It was rather like a potion gone very, very wrong.  
  
***********  
  
Stupid, stupid, and again I say, again, stupid! Damien was mentally berating himself for his approach. He thought he'd sounded like a total dork. Coming up to Neville out of the blue, a total stranger, and right after Neville's boyfriend had just collapsed and lapsed into some sort of coma or something.  
  
Can you say "total dork." Damien? He ran the conversation through his head again and was even more critical.  
  
"Why are you muttering to yourself?" asked the girl sitting next to him.  
  
"Oh," he hadn't realized he'd been muttering. "I'm, uh, trying to memorize something."  
  
"Ok, just do in your head, please? I'm trying to learn and you're distracting me." She abruptly faced front again and Damien didn't bother to reply, but he did make sure he didn't mutter.  
  
***************  
  
Neville walked to Aidan's bedside laden with a paraphernalia of odd things. He'd read that people in comas, he thought Aidan was in a coma, could often hear what was being said they just couldn't talk back, and that they'd often wake up faster because of this outside stimulation. So he'd packed up all of Aidan's favorite books, including one of odd poems, and his brush, among other odd things he thought might be nice for Aidan, if he woke up.  
  
No, when he wakes up. He mentally reminded himself. Because he will wake up.  
  
When he arrived the nurse gave him an odd look.  
  
"Need any help?" she asked inquiringly.  
  
"Uh, no. Thanks anyhow." He continued on to Aidan's bed which was surrounded by a pale curtain that had the magical ability of shutting out most outside noise, Neville suspected it was bespelled instead of it just being heavy cloth like the professors claimed. After juggling the books and other items so that he could get past the curtain and settling into the chair waiting next to Aidan's bed.  
  
He started with the book of strange poems, the first one was called "The Jabberwocky" and was by some Lewis guy who apparently wrote a story about a girl named Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.  
  
After the first stanza he really got into it and he liked all the nonsense words, he had just gotten to "the vorpal blade went-" when someone else asked tentatively.  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"Who is it?" asked Neville turning in the chair to see who was coming had come to visit.  
  
"It's Ron and Harry." Came Ron's reply as the stepped past the curtain. They had a tray with food from dinner on it. Neville had been in the dormitory for hours trying to think of something to do, and he'd missed dinner before coming here.  
  
He hadn't realized how much his stomach had been demanding food and it woke with a vengeance. Ron had barely set it down before he started to scarf it down. Harry watched him eat while Ron looked into some of the books Neville had brought to read to Aidan. After Neville finished they talked to each other, and Aidan. While they talked Neville brushed Aidan's hair which pooled around his head on the pillow. After the knots were out of it he braided Aidan's hair so as to keep it out of the way. Then Harry and Ron had to practically haul him back to the dormitory so he wouldn't waste away waiting by Aidan's bedside waiting for him to wake up.  
  
  
  
Author's Commentations: So, whatcha think of my newest blip? I can't seem to write for sustained periods of time…anyhow! Now, I am making yet another demand, yes I know I'm terrible, those who have reviewed so far must get at least one friend to review this fic. Sorry! I crave feedback, it helps me write better!! (plus, what other doesn't love getting reviews. I mean c'mon!) So, yes me being a vewy vewy bad boy. Now, get out there and "recruit" some peoples! ^_^;;; I sorta feel rather evil about this demand, but I need to know! I want a second opinion!! *sigh* so get out there! Tell a friend! Get me a second, third, and even a fourth and fifth and sixth opinion!!! Sorry for being so evil btw! ^_^;;;;;;;;;;;; 


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. But the new characters are MINE, so don't steal them, ask and I'll probably let you use them with permission. Also, I'm not makin' any money off this so don't sue me!  
  
OTHER DISCLAIMER!!!: The last bit of this chapter is graphic with Neville and Damien. And it's where I leave you. So if you don't wanna read that, don't. I don't wanna hear you complain. It was your choice to read it or not. So, if you think it would offend you, please don't read it. And save yourself, and I, a lot of trouble and bitchin'. Thanks much. ^_^  
  
Special Thanks to: My big sis, for helpin' out. I Love Ya' Sis!! Also a GIANT hug for my reviewers who put up with my evil schemes to get more reviews. (c'mon people, who doesn't like getting' praise and such?!?!) So, giant hug for y'all and any new reviewers that have found my first ever fan fiction, which is very modest if I say so myself. So, here is the next chapter you've all been dying to see. Enjoy!  
  
Neville woke up to a bizarre scene. Everyone in the boys dormitory had had their stuff floating in the air on what looked like thing translucent threads, similar to spider thread, and their sheets had been switched with the curtains and canopies of the beds. Everyone was discussing the weird things, and how irritating it was that their clothes on the string were up the highest, and the one thing people kept concluding.  
  
This had been done with magic, and powerful magic at that.  
  
Screams erupted from what sounded like the girls dormitory, the boys rushed to throw on their robes and grab their wands and ran across the hallway and through the door to the girls room.  
  
To find Hermione in her bra, underwear, and a robe.  
  
Blasting away what looked like huge piles of green blob-like spiders with her wand.  
  
Every single one of them, except Neville who had started to help get the mess left behind by Hermione cleaned up, charged back out to the common room to find even stranger happenings.  
  
All the books that had been left about were flapping about like birds. Furniture pieces were gathered in clumps like herd animals and moving about. Hermione stormed out of the girls room, this time with a long T-shirt and her robe so she could maintain some modesty, and instantly yelled directions to the boys standing dumbfounded in the middle of the whole scene.  
  
"Harry, Ron, and you three! Use levitation charms on the furniture to keep them out of the way!"  
  
"The rest of you stupid louts, zap those books with paralysis spells! What are you? A bunch of first-years with rudimentary knowledge of breathing?!"  
  
She then proceeded to remove the Substituary Locomotion spell from the furniture and re-arrange them to their proper order. Before she could start on the books Professor McGonald, their house leader, marched through the portrait door and waved her wand with a muttered word, and what sounded like a few curses, and all the books flew back to their places in a whirlwind of pages and book jackets.  
  
"All right, thank you, Hermione, for stopping this insanity," she commended the rest of them and after everyone had come out of their rooms she continued.  
  
"Some powerful workings have happened in Hogwarts, and as far as we've been able to tell. The worst happened the farthest away from the boys dormitory. And any moving thing that had been there, once it crossed what seems like a border, vanished in a giant mess that Filch will throw a fit over. The only place in the castle that was unaffected was the hospital wing." Neville's face lost most of it's tension, probably now that he could stop worrying about Aidan, and it instantly tensed up again as yet another truck load of worries hit him. From the looks of everyone else, it had hit them too.  
  
Hogwarts had been sucsessfully attacked.  
  
Hermione started to tremble and Ron held her, a brother protecting his sister. Harry inched closer to them, along with Neville who was stiff as a rod, except for his hands which were shaking uncontrolablly.  
  
No one felt safe here anymore.  
  
Finally, after their concerns for themselves faded, the full realization of this hit them.  
  
HOGWARTS, had been attacked! Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest place other than the wizard bank, Gringotts, it was supposed to be impervious to attack! The thoughts kept playing themselves through everyone's head like the scariest movie they'd ever seen.  
  
Complete with mind-numbing, heart-stopping, sanity-robbing panic.  
  
"Nothing happened outside the castle walls, it is thought that all of this," the Professor swallowed hard as if forcing down tears and fear of her own.  
  
"All of this is thought to have originated from, inside the castle."  
  
Hermione started to cry into Ron's shoulder while Ron absently shooshed her and comforted her. Harry and most of the other boys had all slumped into the now motionless furniture. After Hermione had stopeed crying, the Professor told them something else.  
  
"Fifth years and up are being put on work detail, so we can get the damage undone as soon as possible. The Prefects will be with me laying down extra protections, they've been trained for this, every other group will be determined by grade. Fifth years with fifth years, and so on." Her voice was trembling only the slightest, otherwise it was monotone.  
  
Resolutely, Hermione, stood up straight and said.  
  
"Well, what are you fifth years waiting for? The end of Hogwarts? Come on! Get dressed so we can get to work!" She then proceeded to get everyone's clothes down from the threads and simply magicked hers onto herself, as did the rest of them. Then, they marched out with Hermione in the lead. Like a platoon of soldiers, off to fight a war.  
  
*************  
  
With his hair a mess and in dirty messy clumps with dried blood holding most of it into a large mess of hair and other assorted objects from the ground he'd been tripping over while he was running.  
  
Suddenly Aidan had an idea.  
  
He was in his head, correct? Yes! He was, this was his mind. His father was simply contorting it and filling it with nightmares, well not precisely simply. His father had a good hold on his mind about now. Creating demons from his nightmares, and probably straight from Hell itself. He had found little shelter and had run himself nearly to the death.  
  
Again he tripped and fell. Instead of getting up he placed a large cave with a crackling fire in the steep mountainside to his left. It was different, instead of the nightmarish stain of blood that covered practically everything in this world, it was clean and had a certain feeling about it.  
  
Aidan thought of Neville, the fire burned brighter and the blood around the cave disappeared, and the cave seemed more…  
  
Welcoming.  
  
Loving.  
  
Aidan didn't have a second thought. He had bare scraps of energy and this was his father's world. It was amazing he'd been able to carve this niche out. His sanity was at stake here, as was the rest of the world. Aidan was a channel for incredible power, more than any wizard or witch had ever been able to contain. Not only that, he had innumerable wells of energy. His mother, being raised with the teachings of Irish magick, had taught him how to pull energy from the natural world.  
  
Inside the cave, a little flower sprouted.  
  
It was a daffodil, his mother's favorite. It seemed to be beckoning to him, and for all he knew. In this twisted warped world, it might very well be doing just that.  
  
He stumbled forward to the cave where he had at least a little shelter from the inner Hell is father had wrought from his nightmares.  
  
*****************  
  
Damien and Neville were working side by side at the "Border" to clean up the mess. They didn't talk much, mostly concentrating on cleaning the mess up from the dungeon floor.  
  
They'd been assigned one of the dungeons used for Potions that needed extra long brewing times. They were all alone because not many things had come from down here.  
  
Just nightmares from Hell spewing forth from each potion, retaining the potions qualities.  
  
Neville thanked goodness that the border had been so close to the door. It seemed that the poisonous monsters had killed the others with their pools of congealing, um, Neville wasn't sure what it was. But it stank and it was hard to get it off the floor without leaving stains which also had to be cleaned up. Now they both worked, silently, among the bubbling, boiling, and sometimes smoking, potions.  
  
"Damien…can you hand me that scrub brush over there?" he had meant to say something else, but he had lost his nerve.  
  
"Neville…would you try to get rid of this stain?" Damien, too, had meant to say something else. They each started to look at each other looking back to their work instantly an un-setteling number of times.  
  
Their hands met in a soapy bucket and Neville jerked his hand out suddenly flicking soap onto Damien's face and into his hair. Neville took up a clean rag and wiped off his face and hair while Damien cleaned off his robes.  
  
It was then, that their eyes met.  
  
And so did their lips, in a brutal kiss of lusty passion.  
  
Suddently, neither Neville nor Damien knew what was going on except they both wanted more of each other. They were locked in brutal animal intensity, their lips almost bruising each other. Each of their lips growing bolder, finding each other's necks and cheeks.  
  
And chests. Now Damien and Neville had tossed off their robes, shoes and their shirts, left only in their pants. Each one running his hand over the other's torso. Passion crackled through their veins like sweet lightening. Neville had totally forgotten everything except getting more of this.  
  
Damien's mind too had forgotten everything. His hands wandered down past Neville's neck and shoulders, to his waist, and down his back, finally penetrating down past his trousers, and the waist band of Neville's boxers to feel Neville's butt. Neville was smothering Damien's neck in kisses and clutching him under the arms as he'd never held Aidan. This was pure animal lust. Neville's boxers felt so restraing, and he could feel the heat through Damien's trousers and knew he felt the same way. Damien was against a wall and Neville was pressing on him, as Damien was pressing against him. They felt so close.  
  
Damien felt Neville's hardness and the hear from it through his trousers, for he wore no unmentionables, he could feel Neville's hands moving down the front of his chest. They un-zipped his trousers. Damien returned the favor for Neville, and pulled. They paused, both standing there. Damien's hardness unhinderes stuck straight out through where Neville had un-zipped. The only thing holding his pants up was the button hanging on it. Neville moaned slightly, his boxers were getting really tight. Damien pulled them down from behind and they both had the same situation. Then Damien and Neville plunged back into their passion. 


	7. AUTHOR'S APOLOGETIC LETTER!

Author's Apologetic Letter That Will Consist Of 75% Of The Word 'Sorry'  
  
  
  
Dearest, faithful reviewers and fans.  
  
PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! It seems the World Wide Network Of Muses has crashed, for both my sister and I have had trouble waking ours up! Mine is only in the mood for poetry and hers is only in the mood to sleep!  
  
THANKFULLY! I have been able to wake mine up enough for short periods of time to get some work done on the next chapter, which I hope to put up soon. For now, ATTEMPT to sate your vorascious appatites for my work with the new poetry and such! Now, I will write a short humourus thing between my Muse and I.  
  
*Aidan opens one of Muses's eyes*  
  
Muse: Close that now or I'll never inspire you again!  
  
Aidan: You aren't inspiring me NOW!  
  
*Muse gives Aidan inspiration to shut up*  
  
Aidan: HMMMMM! MMMM! HMM!  
  
Muse: Ah, sweet silence….*drifts back to sleep*  
  
*Aidan gets out his mp3s and selects the loudest anime song he has*  
  
*Muse jumps up and runs around in circles, with his sheets trailing after him*  
  
Aidan: Eh, apparently my Muse sleeps in the..nude??  
  
Muse: YOU! ((CENSOR)) I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! WHAT THE ((CENSOR)) DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!  
  
Aidan: Now, now. Remember the younger people out there.  
  
Muse: ((CEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNSOOOOOOOOOOR))  
  
Aidan: o.O Whoa…what the (censor) was that?  
  
Muse: Hmph, stupid (censor) cow of an author…  
  
*Aidan sprays silly string all over Muse while he sleeps*  
  
Aidan: G'nite, silly string dreams! 


	8. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, nor are any of the original characters mine. But! (Lovely little word, don't you think?) The new characters are MINE! So don't take them without permission!  
  
  
  
Aidan's limp formed suddenly stiffened in the bed that he'd been resting on. Slowly, he sat up. Like an ancient mummy from a horror movie. With his eyes still closed, he picked up his wand from the bedside table. Bleached moonlight lit up against the almost imperceptible lighter streaks of red in his hair, causing it to look like a mane of pale and faded blood.  
  
He smoothly slipped from under the covers, slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed. For the first time his eyes opened, but they were vacant of signs of his usually flaming personality. Arms limp at his sides he stalked silently to the door of the hospital wing. Pointing his wand at the lock, for a moment nothing happened. Then the lock suddenly vanished entirely from the door. His seemingly incorporeal form seemed to float out into the hall. Now with less moonlight, the tiny little arcs of silver energy wove through his hair were more evident.  
  
Electric currents forced his hair to stand up a bit, it looked as if there was a breeze lifting the amber tresses from his head, slightly. Mechanically moving towards the large doors that opened up to the grounds, he stopped only once to observe a stain on the floor that hadn't been quite scrubbed clean. This time when the doors refused to cooperate, he brandished his wand silently and they swung open like bat wings unfurling into the night, silent and dark.  
  
Soon he was trotting, then jogging. Suddenly he burst into speed, had anyone been watching they would have seen him start to blur. Then, just as he reached the edge of the lake. He came to a sudden, but firm, stop. The weirdness of the night only increased as he started to mutter in long forgotten languages and wave his wand in strange patters.  
  
Moonlight revealed that the giant squid that lived in the lake was rising to the surface, seemingly against it's natural instinct and will to do so. Then, as if the law of gravity had been lifted from it, the squid floated up out of the water and was laid out across the great lawn. Only it's head was exposed to the air, tentacles and arms were left in the water. It started to writhe and wriggle. As if a hurricane's wrath blew about in it's innards. Shrinking, the squid was no longer a squid. But a very large, ferocious, and seemingly evil, red spider. Foul purple acid dripped from it's front mandibles, and poisonous venom was evident on the rest of its saber-like teeth. Words from another's mind echoed in Aidan's head. Words like 'revenge.'  
  
Aidan knew.  
  
  
  
Neville tossed his pillow out the heavy curtains of his four post bed. Harry through it over the top of them. They repeated the actions while carrying on a conversation, Neville had learned to trust Harry more than anyone else before Aidan had come and now he and Harry were having a late night conversation. Not yet to the meat of his problem, Neville and Harry still kept up their game of Toss-The-Pillow, talking about trivial things that really were not having any bearing on Neville's behavior since the clean-up last week. Neville felt lower than scum, more foul the He-Who-Must- Not-Be-Named, beyond redemption, beyond forgiveness. To put it simply, Neville was feeling like a traitor and he hated himself for it. He'd taken pleasure from what he'd done with Damien, oh yes. Neville had enjoyed it quite a lot. Damien had taken over after they'd both gotten undressed enough, first Damien had turned him around and Neville knew what was going to happen. But he'd never felt it so thoroughly as this, each time Damien had plunged into him it was like the first time. Then, Damien had moaned and Neville felt the spurting and the warmth of Damien's seed. Damien, who was firmly in charge of the entire act, then flipped Neville around, lowered himself briskly to his knees, and had quickly captured Neville in the firm grasp of his lips. Neville had never had a more experienced bed fellow than that, and he felt it. Damien had had the good sense to set the scrubs in motion to scour the floor while they were busy and so they left the dungeon as soon as they'd gotten dressed.  
  
Now Neville wished he'd kept himself under control, rebuking himself so harshly that often he felt on the verge of tears. Then when he wasn't rebuking himself he just thought about how much this would hurt Aidan, then he would cry. Sometimes for hours, dragging out into the early hours of morning. Lately he'd looked like hell but he didn't care, nothing seemed to matter anymore.  
  
He went through the daily routine on total automatic pilot. Harry tossed the pillow back over the curtain rod. Neville didn't toss it back. After a second or two Harry parted the curtains to Neville's bed and sat down on the edge next to him. Neville looked down on the pillow he held in his lap, as though ashamed. Harry couldn't figure out why and had an expression of bafflement and care on his face. Thought Neville's face was slightly obscured from his bowl-cut hair that hung between his face and the rest of the world like a veil. Suddenly, a tear coursed down his cheek and made of a soft 'plop' on the pillow. Neville leaned on Harry's friendly shoulder and began telling Harry why he had been a zombie since last week.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, while guiding his creation to the doors of Hogwarts, Aidan jerked to a stop. He whispered,  
  
"No…" Then another voice came, apparently from nowhere.  
  
"You will do as I say, I am in control."  
  
"No." Aidan uttered the word with slightly more force. The arcs of blue electricity started to fade from his hair. Unexpectedly haze poured out of the earth. Loathsome smells and disgusting shades of blood and pus. Slowly, leaves and twigs floated into the haze. A skeleton of broken twigs and snapped branches from the Forbidden Forest snapped up in front of Aidan, complete with a horrific skull. The haze had reached out and snapped leaves off nearby trees, they instantly turned dulled autumn colors. Soon a skin of leaves covered the previously bare skeleton. Abruptly, the rotting assemblage spoke.  
  
"Aidan, you are mine. Obey me or be annihilated."  
  
"Oh please, that is so comic book villain. Could we be a little more original?" came Aidan's impudent response.  
  
Now that he was in control again, Aidan planned to keep it that way.  
  
  
  
Neville sighed a final sigh from his long cry on Harry's compassionate shoulder and promptly began to drift into sleep. Harry carefully lay Neville down into his bed and covered him in his sheets and blankets.  
  
"G'night, Nev'." Said Harry, but Neville was already an infinite distance away from him, in dream land.  
  
Harry went to his bed, but on his way he looked out one of the many windows in the boys dormitory.  
  
"What the hell?" 


End file.
